Pragya Thakur triggers row: Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Thakur has termed Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, a ‘deshbhakt’ (patriot). Speaking to news agency ANI, Thakur said that those branding Godse as a terrorist will be given a befitting reply by the people in the Lok Sabha elections.

“Nathuram Godse was a deshbhakt, is a deshbhakt and will remain a deshbhakt. People calling him a terrorist should instead look within, such people will be given a befitting reply in these elections,” she said.

“BJP does not agree with her statement. The party will talk to her under which circumstances she gave the statement. One who killed Mahatma Gandhi can’t be a deshbhakt,” state BJP media cell in-charge Lokendra Parashar told PTI

Thakur’s remark comes amidst a raging controversy over actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan’s comment that independent India’s first terrorist was a Hindu, Nathuram Godse who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. “The first terrorist post-Independence was Nathuram Godse, a Hindu. It started from there. He killed Mahatma Gandhi,” the Tamil Nadu-based political party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder had said.

Haasan’s remark triggered a massive controversy with the BJP lodging a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) against the south superstar. A criminal complaint was also lodged against him. Haasan later clarified that he was misquoted and he never mentioned the word ‘terrorist’.

On Tuesday, Haasan’s remark was endorsed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi who asked how Mahatma Gandhi’s killer can be called a great man.

Pragya has been embroiled in controversies ever since she joined the BJP and was named the party’s candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. She courted a major controversy when she said that Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed in action during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack because of her curse.

Pragya, a prime accused in 2008 Malegaon blast case, was released on bail in 2017 on health grounds. Pragya has not been convicted by the court and is eligible to contest elections. She is contesting elections against Congress general secretary and two-time Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh.